Mail-carrier.



W. T, BUCK & G. G. WILLIS.

MAIL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED 23.13. 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l W. T. BUCK & G. 0. WILLIS.

' MAIL CARRIER.

I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1909. 943, 1 36a Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. T. BUCK & G. G. WILLIS.

MAIL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED M113, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909. swans-sum" 3.

UNITED STATES @FFTQE.

WILLIAM '1. BUCK AND GROVER C. WILLIS, OF VLIETS, KANSAS; SAID WILLISASSIGNOR TO SAID BUCK.

MAIL-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 13, 1909. Serial No. 477,703.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that we. lViLLiAM T. BUCK and Gnovnn C. \VILLIS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Vliets county of lvlarshall. and State ofKansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hail-Carriers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail carriers especially adapted for use inconnection for rural delivery routes where the point of delivery islocated at a distance from the residences. The object being to provide amail carrier which is so constructed that the mail can be carried fromthe house to the point of collection or be brought from the point ofcollection to the house by simply operating the crank.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which apair of mail carriers are used, one of the carriers being normallyretained at the point of delivery and the other at a point adjacent thehouse whereby mail can be carried to the point of delivery andcollection and at the same time mail can be carried from this point tothe house.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a double cabletrack-way for supporting the mail carriers whereby all danger of thecarriers becoming entangled with one another is prevented.

A still further object of the invention to provide an operating cablewhich is mounted on pulleys carried by the end posts and is supported bypulleys arranged on the intermediate posts.

A further object of the invention is to provide the carriers with novelmeans for preventing the wheels from jumping off of the cable track.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means forconnecting the carriers with the operating cable.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the supportingpulleys with yielding spring covers which are so constructed that theywill give and allow the arm carried by the carrier to pass between thesame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signal in connectionwith the apparatus which is operated by a crank arm mounted on the post,at the point of delivery and collection said crank arm extendingoutwardly in the path of the carrier so as to be normally held over thedoor of the same whereby it will be necessary for the person deliveringthe mail or collecting the same to operate the crank arm in order toopen the door of the carrier whereby the signal will be operated so asto notify the occupants of the house that mail has been placed in thecarrier or removed from the same.

ith these objects in view, the invention consists of the novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our im proved apparatus embodying ourinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the end post arranged adjacentthe house showing the carrier in its normal position. Fig. 3 is an endelevation of the end post arranged at the point of delivery andcollection showing the carrier and the crank arm for operating thesignal in its normal position. Fig. 4: is a top plan view of Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the intermediate supporting posts, theoperating cable and cable track-way being shown in section. Fig. 6 is aperspective of the spring cover for inclosing the supporting pulley.Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 isan end view of the hanger and a portion of the carrier showing thecarrier partly broken away. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the memberfor preventing the grooved supporting wheel from jump ing the cabletrack.

In carrying out our improved invention we employ end posts A and B and anumber of intermediate posts C which vary in numher in accordance withthe distance to be covered. The post A is arranged close to the farmhouse and the post B is arr: nged on the main road at the point ofdelivery and collection of the rural routes.

Secured on the ends of the posts A and B adjacent their upper ends arebrackets D formed with diverging arms D connected together by rods Dover the ends of which are arranged thimbles D The respective PatentedDec. 14., race.

ported by grooved wheels 0 thimbles of the rods being connected togetherby cable tracks E and F which are supported by blocks G carried bybrackets G extending outwardly from the opposite sides of theintermediate posts C, said blocks being substantially semi-circular inshape having a curved groove formed in their outer faces in which thecable tracks E and F are adapted to fit said groove extending into theupper edges adjacent their ends whereby an even track-way will be formedby said blocks so as to allow the supporting wheels of the carriers topass over the same smoothly as will be hereinafter fully described.

Arranged on each cable track on grooved wheels 11 and I carried byhangers H and T are supported the carriers H and I which are rectangularin shape and are provided. with hinged doors at one end through whichthe mail is placed within the same or removed as the case may be. Itwill be seen that by this arrangement each carrier is provided with aseparate track which extends out beyond the end posts so as to allow thecarrier to pass the post in order to facilitate the mail being placedwithin the same or taken out and it will also be seen that by having thehangers arranged at each end of the carriers all danger of the carrierstilting is prevented.

For preventing the grooved wheels from jumping the cable track in caseof snow or ice clinging to the same we employ retaining members J whichare provided with guide ways J which work over the vertical portions ofthe hangers and are provided with grooved portions J so as to allow thetrack way a certain amount of play, said members being provided with adepending stem J which works within an opening formed in the top of thecarrier and is secured therein by a nut J working on the threaded end ofthe stem. The retaining members are held againstthe flanges of thegrooved wheel by coil springs J surrounding the stems of the retainingmembers which allows the same to work up and down so that when themember strikes the supporting blocks G they will give and it will beseen that by this arrangement all danger of the grooved wheels jumpingthe track is prevented.

Arranged on the ends of the posts A and i B under the brackets D arebrackets K and L carrying horizontal grooved pulleys O for operating thecarriers, said cable being supcarried by brackets extending outwardlyfrom the sides of the intermediate posts C so as to prevent the samefrom sagging. The brackets O areprovided with spring frames P whichsurrounds the grooved pulleys O. The top of the frames P being dividedcentrally and having oblique edges so as to allow the sides of the frameto be spread apart when the member passes between the same for securingthe cable to the carrier as will be hereinafter fully described.

The bracket K is provided with the frame portion K in which is mounted ahorizontal shaft Q provided with a crank Q at its outer end foroperating the same and with a bevel gear Q? which meshes with a bevelgear M carried by a shaft M 011 which the grooved pulley M is mountedwhereby the endless cable will be operated when the crank is turned.

The carriers have castings R secured to the bottoms centrally in whichare secured sleeves R by screws said sleeves being provided withlongitudinal slots R in which extend laterally projecting pins S of armsS which are slidably mounted within the sleeves and are provided witheyes at their ends which are secured to the operating cable atthedesired points, said arms being normally held in an extended position bycoil springs S arranged within the sleeves at the ends of the arms so asto allow the arms to move upwardly in order to ride over the groovedpulleys 0. These arms are secured to the endless cable at such pointsthat one of the carriers will be held at the end of one of the tracksand the other carrier at the opposite end of the other track or viceversa whereby one of the carriers will be always at the point ofdelivery or collection and the other at the post adjacent the house.

In connection with this apparatus we use a signaling device whichcomprises a bell T arranged on the post A having a wire T connectedthereto which passes over a pulley T arranged 011 the post A and throughguides T arranged upon the intermediate post C and the free end isconnected to an arm U on a shaft U which is mounted in brackets Uextending outwardly from the post B, said shaft being provided with acrank arm U at its lower end which is normally held outwardly as shownin Figs. 3 and 4, in the path of the carrier so that it will be engagedby the same when the carrier reaches the end of its travel. The lowerbracket U is provided with a fiat portion U" forming a stop for thecrank arm U and it will be seen that the crank arm U will be held fromturning all the way around and as the carrier strikes the same the doorof the carrier will be held closed so that it will be impossible toremove the mail from the same or place any therein without swinging thecrank and it will be seen that as the crank is swung the wire will bedrawn so as to cause the bell to ring and notify the occupants of thehouse that mail has been placed within the carrier. As the crank arm isswung over it-is thrown into position on the opposite side so that itwill be engaged by the other carrier when it is brought to the end ofthe track and it will be seen that by operating the crank arm Q of theshaft Q first in one direction and then in the other the carriers willbe moved up and down along their respective tracks. e employ a spring Vfor holding the bell wire tautand at the same time it allows the same togive to a certain extent in order that the crank U may be passed overthe dead center.

It will be seen that by this arrangement the crank arm U forms a stopfor the carrier to a certain extent so as to prevent the same frompassing over the end of the track and it will be seen that by employingthe spring Y the arm will be held at a tension so as to form asubstantially spring buffer.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that we have provided amail. carrier which is exceedingly simple and cheap in construction andone which can be readily installed by the ordinary form and it isespecially adapted to be used by those who are located at a considerabledistance from the rural delivery route which will enable the. same tohave their mail delivered at their houses by simply operating a crankthereby saving a great deal of trouble and time of having to walkperhaps a half mile to the main road to remove their mail from the boxas is the case with farmers now in the country.

What. we claim is 1. An apparatus of the kind described comprisingsupporting posts horizontal parallel tracks carried by said postscarriers provided with wheels mounted on said tracks, an endless cablemounted on pulleys supported by said posts and spring actuated armscarried by the respective carriers connected to said endless cable andmeans for operating said cable.

2. An apparatus of the kind described. comprising supporting postsparallel cable tracks supported by said posts, brackets secured to saidposts for carrying grooved pulleys, an endless cable mounted on saidgrooved pulleys in vertical alinement with said cable tracks carriersprovided with grooved wheels mounted on said cable tracks,

and spring actuated arms carried by saidarriers connected to therespective lead ways of said endless cable whereby said carriers willmove in opposite directions when said cable is operated.

An apparatus of the kind described comprising spaced cable tracks, anendless cable arranged under said cable tracks in vertical alinemeuttherewith, carriers provided with wheels mounted on said tracks, springactuated arms carried by said carriers connected to said endless cable,and means for operating said endless cable whereby said carriers will bemoved in opposite directions upon the respective tracks.

a. An apparatus of the kind described comprising posts having parallelcable tracks arranged upon opposite sides, carriers provided with wheelsmounted on said tracks, said carriers being provided with doors and ashaft provided with a crank arm mounted on one of the posts adapted tobe normally held in the path of said carriers, said shaft being providedwith a crank and a bell connected to said crank by the cable wherebysaid. bell will be sounded when the crank arm is operated for thepurpose set forth.

5. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate supporting posts, cable tracks carried by said posts uponopposite sides carriers having hangers provided with wheels mounted onsaid tracks, an endless cable supported by said posts under said cabletracks, arms carried by the carriers connected to said cable and meansfor operating said endless cable so as to cause the carriers to travelin opposite directions upon the respective tracks.

(3. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts, brackets carried by the terminal posts, cable trackssupported by said brackets brackets carried by the intermediate postsprovided with cable supporting blocks, carriers provided with wheelsmounted on said tracks and an endless cable supported by pulleys carriedby said posts connected to said carriers by a spring actuated armwhereby said carriers can be moved in opposite directions.

7. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts, brackets extending outwardly from the terminalposts, cable tracks supported by said brackets, cable supporting blockscarried by the intermediate posts, brackets secured to the terminalposts carrying grooved pulleys, an endless cable mounted on saidpulleys, pulleys carried by backets extending outwardly from theintermediate posts for supporting said endless cable, the last mentionedpulleys being provided with supporting frames and a spring actuated armextending outwardly from said carriers connected to said endless cablewhereby said carriers can be operated in opposite directions.

8. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts parallel tracks carried by said posts, an endlesscable mounted on pulleys carried by said posts in vertical alinementwith the tracks, a carrier provided with wheels mounted upon therespective tracks, and a bell carried by one of said terminal postsconnected to a crank carried by the other terminal post whereby saidbell will be sounded when said crank is operated so as to throw the sameout of the path of the carrier.

9. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts parallel track ways carried by the posts, carriersprovided with hangers carrying grooved wheels mounted on said trackways, spring actuated retaining blocks carried by said hangers, and anendless cable carried by the posts for operating said carriers inopposite directions.

10. An apparatus of the kind described comprising a supporting posthaving cable track-ways arranged upon opposite sides a carrier providedwith wheels mounted on each of said tracks, retaining members carried bythe carriers and an endless cable supported by said posts connected tosaid carriers whereby said carriers can be operated in oppositedirections.

11. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts of parallel cable tracks supported by said posts, acarrier provided with hangers carrying grooved wheels mounted on each ofsaid tracks, said carriers being provided with doors, a bell carried byone of said terminal posts, a shaft mounted on the other terminal post,provided with a crank arm adapted to be normally held in the path ofsaid carriers, :1 wire connected to said bell having its free endconnected to a crank formed on the upper end of said shaft and anendless cable supported by said posts and connected to said carrierswhereby said carriers can be moved in opposite directions.

12. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts parallel tracks supported by said posts, bracketscarried by the terminal posts horizontal pulleys arranged in saidbrackets, an endless cable mounted on said pulleys, means for operatingone of said pulleys and carriers mounted on the respective tracksconnected to the respective lead ways of said endless cable.

13. An apparatus of the kind described comprising parallel cable tracks,carriers provided with a grooved wheel mounted on said tracks, means foroperating said car riers in opposite directions, a vertical shaftmounted in brackets on one of the terminal posts, provided with a crankarm normally held in the path of the said carriers, a crank formed onthe upper end of said shaft, a wire connected to said crank, and a bell.arranged on the other terminal post connected to said wire whereby saidbell will be sounded when said crank is thrown out of the path of saidcarriers.

14. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts, of brackets arranged on the ends of said terminalposts connected together by rods cable tracks connecting the ends of therespective rods brackets arranged on the inter mediate posts carryingsemi-circular blocks for supporting said tracks, a carrier arranged oneach of said tracks, spring actuated retaining members carried by eachof said carriers, coacting with said supporting blocks and an endlesscable connected to said carriers whereby said carriers can be moved uponthe respective tracks in the opposite directions.

15. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts, supporting parallel tracks, an endless cable mountedon pulleys carried by said posts in vertical alinement with said tracks,carriers provided with hangers having grooved wheels mounted on saidtracks, each of said carriers being provided with hinged doors, springactuated depending arms carried by said carriers connected to saidendless cable and a crank for operating a bell carried by one of theterminal posts adapted to be normally held in. the path of one of thecarriers whereby it will be impossible to open the door of the carrierwithout operating the bell.

16. An apparatus of the kind described comprising terminal andintermediate posts supporting parallel tracks, brackets carried by saidposts having horizontal grooved pulleys mounted therein, an endlesscable mounted on said grooved pulleys a bevel gear carried by the shaftof one of said pulleys, a crank shaft provided with a bevel gear meshingwith said bevel gear and carriers provided with hangers having groovedwheels mounted on the respective tracks, said hangers having dependingspring actuated arms connected to the endless cable whereby saidcarriers can be moved up and down said tracks for operating said crankshaft.

17. An apparatus of the kind described comprising supporting postscarrying paral.- lel cable tracks extending outwardly beyond the ends ofsaid terminal posts, an endless caole carried by pulleys supported bysaid posts, the lead ways of said cable being in vertical alinement withsaid tracks; provided with grooved wheels mounted on the respectivetracks, retaining blocks carried by said carriers, and depending springactuated arms carried by the carriers connected to the respective leadways of said endless cable whereby said carriers can be moved up anddown said tracks by operating said cable.

WILLIAM T. BUCK. GROVER C. WILLIS. \Vitnesscs:

FRANK A. TALPEY, Howann E. BALL.

